Q&A: Night Feeding?

My daughter is just over a month old and still wakes up every hour crying and rooting. Could she really be hungry? Is there anything we can do to get her to sleep better?

We know how exhausting it is to feed every hour. The bad news is that month-old babies' stomachs are still very small — approximately the size of your daughter's fist. Since they can't hold much, they often need to be filled up frequently. That Big Gulp of milk you wish she would eat just won't fit yet!

However, at this age you can gradually start to stretch the time between her feedings, with the goal of feeding her every three hours during the day and possibly even less frequently at night. In an ideal world, this will help her sleep in several three to four hour stretches at night.

Until she's old enough to sleep straight through the night, remember to take care of your sleep needs. The first three hours of nighttime sleep are the most critical for adults. Do everything you can to ensure this first part of your sleep is uninterrupted. This may mean going to bed at 8 or 9 p.m. for a few more months, but we promise that your days will be much more enjoyable!